DePaul University School of Continuing and Professional Studies

What DePaul University School of Continuing and Professional Studies does

DePaul University's School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS) is an academic division of a private Jesuit Catholic university, headquartered in downtown Chicago at 14 E. Jackson Blvd. Founded in 1974, SCPS designs and delivers undergraduate degree completion programs, a Master of Arts in Applied Professional Studies (MAAPS), two graduate certificates (Educating Adults, Liberal Learning for Professionals), workforce development, and corporate training programs for adult learners aged 24 and above who balance education with work and family commitments. The school operates approximately 26 core staff across advising, retention, prior learning assessment, and program management, supplemented by an Inter-Practice Faculty Model that pairs practitioners with academic instructors, plus two dedicated centers—the Labor Education Center (LEC) and the Center to Advance Education for Adults (CAEA).

The instructional platform combines online, evening, and hybrid course formats with a Layered-Learning Approach that integrates classes, communities, and hands-on experience. Distinctive academic services include Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) at a $300 processing fee, which converts work experience, professional certifications (including FINRA Series 7, HRCI PHR/SPHR, SHRM CP/SCP, PMI PMP), and ACE/CLEP credits into college credit, and a Combined Degree Program that allows up to three graduate courses to count toward a bachelor's degree. Cohort-based transfer partnerships with Harper College and College of Lake County feed enrollment into bachelor's pathways, while specialized cohort programming extends to Chicago Police Department members and youth programs through the LEC.

Revenue derives primarily from tuition across undergraduate and graduate degree programs (BA/BAPS in Business Administration, Computing, Applied Behavioral Sciences, Decision Analytics, Leadership Studies, Healthcare Administration, Nonprofit Management, Recreation and Sport Management), supplemented by PLA processing fees, corporate training contracts delivered onsite to corporations, nonprofits, and government agencies, and continuing education non-degree course fees. As a non-profit academic unit, SCPS is institutionally funded rather than venture or equity funded, with no external ownership, no public revenue disclosure, and no commercial pricing transparency beyond the PLA fee tier. Customer acquisition runs through the DePaul website, information sessions, concierge advising, community college partnerships, and labor movement networks.

Name

DePaul University School of Continuing and Professional Studies

Legal name

DePaul University

Website

https://scps.depaul.edu

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DePaul University SCPS is a non-profit continuing education division in Chicago serving adult learners with flexible undergraduate and graduate degree programs, corporate training, and specialized labor education, supported by cohort-based community college transfer partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adult Continuing Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Professionals (Teacher/Administrator CE, CPD) (EDAAALAE)

Keywords

• Adult continuing education
• Professional development
• Degree completion programs
• Corporate training services
• Professional certificate programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Undergraduate Degree Programs: Tuition-based revenue from undergraduate degree completion programs including BA and BAPS degrees in fields such as Business Administration, Computing, Decision Analytics, Healthcare Administration, Leadership Studies, Nonprofit Management, and Recreation and Sport Management.
2. Graduate Degree Programs: Revenue from Master of Arts in Applied Professional Studies (MAAPS) and graduate certificate programs (Educating Adults, Liberal Learning for Professionals).
3. Prior Learning Assessment Fees: PLA processing fee of $300 for course match projects, significantly lower than tuition costs. Pre-approved PLA and credential verification also generate processing fees.
4. Corporate Training: Customized professional education, workshops, seminars, and certificate programs delivered onsite to corporations, nonprofits, and government agencies. Collaborates with organizations to align professional learning with business objectives.
5. Continuing Education: Non-degree training programs and professional development courses for workforce development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SCPS is the continuing and professional studies division of DePaul University, providing adult learners with undergraduate and graduate degree-completion pathways, professional certificates, and customized corporate training delivered through online, in-person, and on-site formats. Core offerings include credit-bearing programs, stackable credentials, prior-learning credit evaluation, and workforce training for employer clients.

Product overview

DePaul University's School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS) offers a comprehensive portfolio of adult and professional education programs, including undergraduate degree completion programs (BA/BAPS in Business Administration, Computing, Applied Behavioral Sciences, Decision Analytics, Leadership Studies, Healthcare Administration, Nonprofit Management, Recreation and Sport Management), a Master of Arts in Applied Professional Studies (MAAPS) with three tracks, two graduate certificates (Educating Adults, Liberal Learning for Professionals), workforce development via corporate training programs, and specialized labor education through the Labor Education Center (LEC). The institution supports Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) enabling students to earn credit for prior experience, and offers combined degree programs for accelerated learning pathways.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adult Undergraduate Degree Completion Credit-bearing bachelor's degree programs designed for adults who have prior college credit and/or work experience, with prior-learning assessment (PLA) options to accelerate completion. Delivered online and in person on DePaul campuses.
• Graduate Degree Programs Master's-level degree programs (e.g., professional studies tracks) designed to be completed alongside full-time employment, taught by an inter-professional faculty of practitioners and scholars.
• Professional Certificate Programs Non-credit and credit-bearing certificate programs structured for skill development and credentialing in professional fields, typically delivered in short, stackable formats.
• Corporate Custom Training Customized cohort-based training, leadership development, and continuing-education programs delivered on-site or in private cohorts to employer organizations, scoped and priced under contract.
• Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) A formal evaluation process in which adult learners convert prior work experience, certifications, military training, or other learning into college credit, supporting accelerated degree completion.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% of SCPS undergrads launch their careers or advance their studies with confidence within 6 months of graduation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Harper CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough the Harper College partnership, students can seamlessly transition from their associate degree to a DePaul bachelor's degree. Benefits include personalized advising, a supportive cohort, and affordable tuition while building connections that advance academic and career goals. This is part of the University Center partnerships initiative.
• College of Lake CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity college partnership providing pathways for students to pursue advanced education opportunities through cohort-based learning experiences.
• Labor Research and Action Network (LRAN)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe LEC actively contributes to the labor movement by serving as board members and affiliates with LRAN, a network supporting labor research and action initiatives.
• United Association for Labor Education (UALE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe LEC serves as a member and board participant in UALE, an organization dedicated to labor education advancement.
• Chicago Police DepartmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCohort partnership program allowing Chicago Police Department members to pursue advanced education opportunities with cohort-based support.
• Corporate Organizations in Chicago and BeyondminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate training partnerships with corporations, nonprofits, and government agencies. DePaul collaborates with organizations to align professional learning with their business objectives and deliver onsite programs.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Northwestern University School of Professional Studies: Northwestern's continuing and professional studies division offers accelerated bachelor's completion, master's degrees, certificates, and corporate training for working adults in the Chicago metro area — directly competing with DePaul SCPS for the same adult learner segment and corporate clients.
• Harvard Extension School: Harvard's continuing education arm offers undergraduate completion, graduate degrees, certificates, and pre-med programs to adult learners; a structurally and functionally similar unit serving working professionals with flexible formats.
• Columbia University School of Professional Studies: Columbia's professional studies division provides degree, certificate, and executive programs for working professionals in a major metro market; shares the academic-school-within-a-university structure and adult-learner focus with DePaul SCPS.
• University of Chicago Graham School of Continuing Liberal and Professional Studies: UChicago's continuing education division targets the same Chicago working-professional audience with degree programs, certificates, and executive education; its elite brand and overlapping corporate training offerings make it DePaul SCPS's strongest in-market competitor.
• NYU School of Professional Studies: A large urban university continuing and professional studies school offering undergraduate completion, graduate degrees, certificates, and corporate training; comparable in mission, product mix, and adult-learner focus to DePaul SCPS.
• Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies: Georgetown's continuing studies school delivers professional master's, certificates, and summer programs for adult learners; overlaps with DePaul SCPS on graduate professional degrees and adult-learner pedagogy.
• Boston University Metropolitan College: BU's Metropolitan College offers accelerated undergraduate completion, graduate degrees, certificates, and corporate training for working adults in a major urban market — directly analogous to DePaul SCPS in mission and product portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• Coursera: A leading online learning platform offering university-partnered certificates, degrees, and corporate training; competes with DePaul SCPS in continuing professional education, particularly for stackable credentials and employer-sponsored upskilling.
• Southern New Hampshire University: SNHU is a large online-focused nonprofit university with extensive adult-learner degree completion, certificate, and workforce development offerings; competes with DePaul SCPS for the same working-adult segment nationally but at far greater scale and lower price points.

Regional players

• University of Wisconsin-Madison Continuing Studies: A Midwest public university continuing education division offering professional certificates, degree completion, and adult learning programs; comparable in adult-learner focus and Midwest geographic footprint, though serving a different state-level market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/depaulscps

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about DePaul University School of Continuing and Professional Studies